He Came Home
by ClubDread16
Summary: It's assuming that Stackhouse wasn't killed right away, and had a wife and child.
1. He Came Home

The character Stackhouse doesn't belong to me. He belongs to the AMAZING actor Gabriel Macht. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
As Stackhouse watched Chris walk into the trees, tears began to roll down his cheeks. He knew he shouldn't be crying, but he was terrified. Scared that he would never see his wife and little girl again.  
  
He remembered the first time he'd been with Melissa. He'd taken her to the fanciest restraunt in town, and in the middle of dinner, he'd dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him. It was then that she decided she was ready. Her skin so soft against his. Her voluptous body pressed tightly to him. It's been the best night of his life, or so he'd thought at the time, but nine months later his daughter Amy was born. He loved Amy more than life itself and he would do absolutely anything for her.  
  
But as he watched Chris disappear, it was looking less and less like he would see them ever again.  
  
He tried to imagine them right there in front of him, but he couldn't. He couldn't even imagine Amy and Melissa in a place like this. They were too good for it.  
  
Stackhouse's gaze drifted from Chris' disappearing back to the hill behind him. He could hear something coming. He wanted so badly to call out for Chris, but somehow he knew he wasn't going to make it, he didn't want to ruin Chris' chance too. Before they appeared over the hill, he thought of everything he was going to miss. Amy's first day of school, her first basketball game, her graduation, and her wedding. He'd never walk his baby girl down the aisle.  
  
He stared at the man yelling at him. "Are there any others!?!?!?" God he hoped Chris was seeing this. 'I hopes Chris calls Melissa. This is going to kill her.' The cold steel of the gun barrel against his head was unbearable. 'Please pull the trigger. Get it overe with.' But the man didn't pull the trigger. "You're coming with me."  
  
~~~TWO DAYS LATER~~~  
  
Stackhouse lay on the ground, guns laying all around him. He wanted so badly to reach for one. To fire it into his captors, but they'd broken both of his arms, and his legs hurt too badly to move. He prayed for death now. "Stackhouse? You ok?" Stackhouse lifted his head up slowly. "Chris?" The bushes near him started to move and suddenly Chris appeared.  
  
"Hang in there buddy. I'm gonna get you outta here." Stackhouse wanted to scream at him. "Chris look at them! They have more guns than we've ever seen. It's not gonna work." Chris' smile melted away. "I'm not going to leave you here to die." Stackhouse laid his head back on the ground. "Do me a favor, Chris. Shoot me." "That's not funny, Stack." Chris' normally laughing voice turned stern. "I'm serious, Chris. I want you to shoot me in the head, and call Melissa." Tears began welling in Stack's eyes. 'Please, Chris. Please." Chris put the silencer on his gun and put it to Stack's head. "Close your eyes buddy. Everything will be better soon." With that he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. ~~~BACK IN MISSOURI~~~ Amy opened her eyes, not knowing what had disturbed her sleep. "Daddy?" She whispered. Standing above her was her father. "Go back to sleep baby." Everything's ok now." Amy rolled over and shut her eyes. "Goodnight daddy. I love you." Stackhouse bent forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you too baby." Melissa's eyes fluttered open. "Stack? When did you get home?" "I can't stay. I just wanted to say goodbye. I'm going away now, but I will ALWAYS love you." "What do you mean 'go away'? Yu just got here." She asked. "I love you Melissa. I always have." Melissa reached to turn on the lights, but when she looked back, he was gone. It was then she knew what had happened. Just then the phone rang. "Melissa? It's Chris. Stack wanted me to call you." Melissa began to cry. "He's dead isn't he Chris?" There was a moment of silence. "How did you know?" Through her tears, Melissa managed a smile. "He came home." 


	2. Reveal To Her

Disclaimer: The character Jeremy Stackhouse doesn't beloing to me. He belongs to whoever owns the rights to Behing Enemy Lines. The characters Melissa and Amy, however, are mine. Thanks to everybody who reveiwed my story. And thanks to BlazerAkila who told me to hurry up and post a final chapter to the story. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Melissa Stackhouse watched her daughter Amy, through the window. Amy was sitting on the ground looking up. Talking to someone or something visible onle to herself. Amy claimed she was talking to her father, but as much as Melissa missed Jeremy, she couldn't believe that. The teachers at school thought Amy needed to see a psychiatrist, but Melissa kept insisting it was just Amy's way of grieving. Or so she hoped.  
  
"Why don't you talk mommy anymore?" Amy asked. Stackhouse gazed down at his beautiful little girl. She was so innocent, so sweet. Also the only person who could see him. He hated that he would never again hold her. Would never kiss her and tell her it would be ok. But she talked to him and he talked back. "Daddy," Pain welled up in his heart whenever she spoke. "Daddy, why does mommy cry when I talk to you?" Stackhouse blinked unbelievingly. In the years he'd known Melissa, he had never seen her cry. "I don't know baby." Amy continued to play with her GI Joes. "She's taking me to see someone today." This drew Stackhouse's full attention. "Who? Who are they taking you to see?" Amy held two of the GI Joes next to each other. Stackhouse noticed that one held a gun to the other's head and he cringed. "Mommy said he's a doctor." Stack turned to see Melissa watching them. He shook his head. She wasn't looking at him, she was watching Amy. "Are you feeling ok, baby?" Amy knocked over one of her soldiers. She picked it up then and held it close to her face. When her father had bought this one, he'd written his name on its badge. "Daddy." She whispered quietly as she kissed the doll. Then she spoke up. "Mommy said he's not that kind of doctor." That's when it all finally dawned on Stackhouse. His little girl, who had so much of him in her, was being taken to a psychiatrist. They thought she was crazy. Just then, "Amy! It's time to go see Dr. Marks."Amy leapt up, carrying her father's doll. Melissa looked on, pitying the small girl, but not being able to supress a slowly rising anger. "Leave the doll heer, sweetie." "But mommy....." Her patience finally disappeared. "I said leave the doll here or I'll throw it away!" Stack watched all this from behind Amy. Was this her way of grieving? By taking it out on their daughter? Tears welled up in Amy's eyes. She kissed the doll, then obediently set it on the counter. "Now get in the car." Amy turned around. "Are you coming daddy?" Stack nodded, then, remembering she couldn't see him, "Of course I'm coming."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mrs. Stackhouse? I'm going to need some information from you before I talk to the child." Dr. Marks turned to his secretary. "Ms. Ellison, please take Amy into the lobby." Ms. Ellison nodded and took Amy's hand gently, leading her into the lobby. 'What exactly is wrong?" Melissa looked to the dorr, as though expecting Amy to come through it and tell her everything would be ok. "Well, her father, Jeremy, died a month ago, Lately, she's been talking to herself. Claiming she can see her father." The doctor wrote everything down on his little pad. "I see. And you don't believe her?" Melissa's eyes grew wider. "Of course I don't. Her father's dead. They sent his body home in a box. I watched them lower the coffin." The doctor nodded. "Ok, I'm going to have to ask you some questions. I'll aske the same questions of the child and they will help to prove or disprove what your child is saying." He pushed the intercom button. "Ms. Ellison, would you please bring Amy in?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~IN THE LOBBY. MINUTES EARLIER.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Stackhouse cat on the bench next to Amy with his head in his hands. This was all his fault. As much as he loved Melissa and Amy he needed to move on. To do that he need to show his daughter that he was gone. He needed her to know that he was really gone. He need to do it now, before they put her in an asylum. He whispered in Amy's ear. "I need to show you something." Amy nodded. "Ms. Ellison? I'm going to the bathroom." The woman nodded and let Amy go. When Amy had locked the stall door she turned to her father. "I love you and mommy, but I need to show you this. You need to know the truth." He put his hand on her forehead and she began to cry. She saw everything that happened. Saw Chris aim the gun and pull the trigger. "You're-you're really dead?" She asked. Stackhouse nodded. "I love you more than anything, but I can't talk to you anymore. I have to go now. But I'll always be in your heart, and you'll always be in mine." Amy nodded her head. "I love you too, Daddy. I'll miss you." With that, Stackhouse was gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BACK IN THE LOBBY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Melissa paced back and forth, waiting for Amy to retuurn from the bathroom. "How long ago did she leave?" She aske the secretary. "About five minutes ago." Just then a shape appeared before Melissa's eyes. As she watched, it began to take on a human form. Her husband's form. "Jeremy?" She whispered. He nodded. "Is it really you?" Again he nodded. "You can take Amy home now. I'm leaving." Tears welled up in her eyes and her voice became choked. "You- you've really been talking to her?" He nodded. "But I', leaving now. I love you Mel. I've always lovd you." The tears were now rolling down her cheeks. "I love you too. Please, don't leave. We need you." Stackhouse tried to touch her cheek but his hand went right through and she shivered. "I have to go. But I'll always be with you." With that he was gone. Amy came running through the door and into her mother's arms. "He's gone mommy." Melissa held the little girl close to her. "I know baby. Let's go home." 


	3. Who Needs Pictures?

Thanx to BlazerAkila and the one other person to review my story. Thanks also to my friend Emily who has to put up with reading all my stories every day. Disclaimer: You guys know the drill. I don't own Chris Burnett or Jeremy Stackhouse, Melissa, and Amy Stackhouse, on the other hand, are entirely of my own creation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
The doorbell rang and Amy jumped up from her spot on the couch, her shoulder length brown hair flying behind her. She threw back the door. "Hey ba....." Stopping mid-sentence as she realized who it was. "Oh. It's you." Anger clouding her mind, she left the door open for him to enter, if he must. He followed her into the kitchen. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but even his name burned her tongue. "So, I haven't seen you in a while.How are you?" His pathetic attempts to befriend her only angered her more. She spun around to face him. "Listen to me now, because I'm only going to say this once. You might think you're my friend. You're not. You might think I like you. I don't. And if you think I like the fact that you and my mom are dating you better sit your ass down and think again. You killed my father and I will never forget that." With every word she spat out, Chris took a step back. Finally she pushed him down into a chair. "My mom has forgiven you, and as long as she likes you, I'll tolerate you dating her, but I will NEVER like you. Every night you stay here, I'll just be waiting for my chance to get you the way you got my father. So don't try to buddy up to me, because even if my mom can't, I can see right through you." With that she stormed out of the kitchen. Chris didn't movefrom the chair. Every night he prayed to God to forgive him what he had done to Stackhouse. Maybe he and Melissa shouldn't go out tonight. Without further thought, he stood up and walked out. In her bedroom, Amy lay looking at a picture or her father. She wiped away a tear. It was taken when she was four, a year before he was taken from her. He had been hom on medical leave, he'd broken his right wrist, and the picture was of Amy and him playing catch with a rubber ball underneath the weeping willow tree that had been in their backyard. It had been cut down two years after Stack's death and Amy had cried for a week. This was the last picture taken of her father. Amy set the picture down and grabbed a box of kleenex from the nightstand. She remembered the first night Chris had come around. It had been the one month anniversary of her father's death, her father's murder. The night she had begun talking to him. Melissa Stackhouse had been distraught and the only person she thought she could turn to, because a five year old child couldn't understand the real meaning of grief, was Chris Burnett. Amy had seen them talking. All that she felt about Jeremy's death boiled down to anger. She wanted to kill Chris Burnett.as he had killed her dad. Ever since that night, Chris had been coming around more and more. He had even begun to spend the night. Amy couldn't stand it anymore. Today was her fifteenth birthday and she was going to enjoy it. With or without her family. She pulled on her father's old NAVY sweater. It was a charcoal grey, and still smelled like him. She had taken it out of his closet the night after he died and had worn it every day since. Then she opened the window, and climber down the eaves. In her bedroom, Melissa stood, smoothing the black velvet dress. It still fit. Jeremy had loved this dress on her. She was sure Chris would love it too. The giddiness that had been swelling up inside her all day, melted away as she glanced at the picture on her dresser. It was a pictureof Jeremy and herself on their wedding day. She picked up the picture and sat down on her bed. Stakhouse had been dead for nearlyten years, but every memory she had of him haunted her. Especially how they had fought right before he left. The last time she had talked to him. It had been about that damn weeping willow tree. She was afraid that it would fall on the house, but he insisted it would stand. Such a stupid thing to fight over. She set the picture down. "I'm gonna make new memories tonight." She said. She paused going out the door and looked up. 'Wherever Jeremy is now,' she thought,'I hope he didn't hear that.' Chris sat on his couch, flipping through his photo album. He and Stackhouse on the Carl Vinson, he and Stakhouse at the reception on Stack's wedding night, Stack-Melissa-Amy and himself the day Amy was born. He slammed the photo album shut and threw it across the room. His head rested in his hands as the tears began rolling down his cheeks. He could had saved him. Why did he leave Stack there? When he closed his eyes, he could still hear him. "So where are we Mr. Navigator Man?" Just then the phone rang. Chris knew who it was. He couldn't talk to her, so , shutting the lights off, he lay back on the couch and drifted to sleep. Beneath the voice on the answering machine, he could hear Stack begging Chris to shoot him. And this was how he fell asleep. Listening to the intermingled voices of Jeremy and Melissa Stackhouse. "Chris, what's going on? I thought we were going out tonight. Are you ok? Um...call me when you get this, ok? I miss you." 


End file.
